Britney Spears brings high-energy, fun show to Planet Hollywood

It was a packed house Friday night for the official opening of Britney Spears' show at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

The 32-year-old singer performed 24 songs during the high-energy and fun show, which lasted a little less than 90 minutes.

Spears changed costumes seven times and wore two wigs (a curly blonde bob for "Circus" and a brunette wig for "...Baby One More Time") during the show, which is titled "Piece of Me."

The queen of pop started the show with "Work Bitch," descending from the sky in a globe-like cage and dressed in a skin-tight, sequined bodysuit similar to the one she wore in her "Toxic" music video.

According to Los Angeles Times, Spears' manager and casino management insist that the show features live vocals, but it certainly appeared to many of those at the show that Britney was lip-syncing the majority of the time.

Kurt Melien, Entertainment Programming Vice President for Planet Hollywood parent company Caesars Entertainment Corp., told the Associated Press that Spears sings against a recorded track of her vocals to help her through the more physically grueling parts of the set, and to add the electronic undertones that characterize many of her songs.

Highlights of the larger-than-life show included Britney dancing with digitized version of herself reflected on several faux mirrors during the song "I Wanna Go," neon-clad dancers running on gigantic hamster wheels during "Scream & Shout," and Britney descending to the stage during "Everytime" wearing a flowing white gown with gigantic angel wings.

Other fav Britney songs included "Toxic," "Slave 4 U," "Boys" and, of course, the song that started it all "Oops!... I Did It Again."

At times, the show resembled a Cirque du Soleil production with its acrobatics, rain, a ring of fire, a snow shower of confetti, a throne-like contraption with water features and a massive, rotating tree. The show also features a four-piece band and 14 dancers.

Only two songs during Friday night's show were from "Britney Jean," Britney's newest album, "Work Bitch" and "Perfume." The show was more of an all-hits revue, featuring her biggest and best songs.

Celebs in attendance including singer and gal pal Miley Cyrus, who was in town to help celebrate the reopening of Beacher's Madhouse, Katy Perry, DJ Pauly D, Sia, Adam Lambert and Selena Gomez. Britney's mother Lynne and sister Jamie Lynn were also in attendance.

"Extra TV" host Mario Lopez ended up on stage where he was dressed by the dancers in leather bondage gear and then crawled across the stage on all fours during Britney's song "Freak Show." Britney even playfully whipped the good-sport Lopez.

Spears will be performing in the 4,600-seat, newly-remodeled Axis Theater through 2015. There are currently 100 shows scheduled, with the possibility of adding more if the show is a success.

Although Friday night's crowd contained quite a few invited guests who are generally enthusiastic about anything they are invited to for free, the crowd seemed to be made up of mostly paying guests who were equally appreciative. The crowd was on its feet almost the entire show and many people could be seen dancing and cheering and applauding.

Tickets for the show are $59 to $229. Click here for more information.

Joyce Lupiani

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